A COUNTER KNIFE DEVICE IN AN APPARATUS FOR DISINTEGRATING MATERIAL

Abstract: The apparatus involved herein comprises a body (1), an element (4) rotatably arranged in the body and a counter knife device (15), which is provided on the body and adapted to cooperate with the rotatable element for disintegration of material. The counter knife device comprises a base part (17) and a cutting member (19) removably connected to the base part by means of connecting members (18). The body forms a casing (20), whereas the counter knife device (15) is adjustably arranged in an opening (21) in the casing. The connecting members (18) for the cutting member are accessible from the exterior of the body without need for removing the counter knife device from the opening in the casing. A bearing member (25) is arranged adjustable into bearing abutment against the counter knife device.

Description: A COUNTER KNIFE DEVICE IN AN APPARATUS FOR DISINTE¬ GRATING MATERIAL Field of the invention and prior art This invention concerns an apparatus of the kind related in the pre- characterizing parts of the independent claims 1 and 6 respectively. Prior art apparatuses of this kind suffer from several disadvantages. A primary disadvantage is that the apparatuses have been so con- structed that it has been associated to a considerable amount of effort to replace cutting members of the counter knife device. The cause of this is that one has had to dismount the counter knife de¬ vice and remove it from its opening in the casing of the body in or¬ der to get access to connecting members connecting the cutting member to a base part of the counter knife device. A secondary disadvantage with the prior art is that it has been as¬ sociated to problems to obtain a good tightness between the interior of the body and the surroundings in the region of the counter knife device. A tertiary disadvantage of the prior art is, further, that the counter knife device must be designed as a very rigidly dimensioned beam, which projects in a cantilever manner towards the rotatable element from the area of the connection of the counter knife device to the support surface. Summary of the invention The present invention aims at eliminating or at least reducing the disadvantages outlined by way of introduction. A first aspect of the invention is particularly directed to the primary disadvantage related hereinabove and this is removed primarily by means of the features defined in the enclosed claim 1. In this way it will be possible to manipulate, from the exterior of the body, the connecting members connecting the cutting member to the base part so that release of the connecting members and the cutting member itself from the base part and, accordingly, replacement of the cutting member may occur conveniently from the exterior without the base part of the counter knife device having to be removed from its position in the opening in the casing. This does not, of course, preclude that it may be suitable to retract the base part of the counter knife device in a direction away from the rotatable element before the connecting members are released but the base part of the counter knife device is still intended to remain in its position in connection with the opening in the body. According to a second aspect of the invention the secondary and tertiary disadvantages related above are removed and this more closely by means of the features related in the enclosed claim 6. The bearing member important for this aspect of the invention is ar- ranged adjustable into bearing abutment against the counter knife device. Thus, it will be possible to tighten the bearing member so that it will bear the counter knife device in such a place where sup¬ port really is efficient to a maximum degree for a good function of the counter knife device. This means that the counter knife device can be designed with smaller dimensions than those which would have been required in absence of the bearing member. The bearing member according to this second aspect of the inven¬ tion also involves the favourable effect that a good closure will be achieved between the interior of the body and the surroundings. The counter knife device and the bearing member will, namely, abut against each other and against respective portions of the body with- out need for arranging any sealing members which would be unes¬ sential from the point of view of the strength. Further preferable features and advantages of the apparatus ac- cording to the invention will appear from the following description. Short description of the drawings With reference to the enclosed drawings, a more close description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples will follow here- under. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical cross section through an apparatus ac¬ cording to the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the apparatus according to claim 1 ; Fig. 3 is a view from the right in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a somewhat modified embodi¬ ment. Detailed description of the preferred embodiment according to Figs. 1 -3 The invention will in the following be described as applied on an apparatus for disintegration of material. The apparatus is particu¬ larly suitable for coarse or unsorted material of the most different kinds. The apparatus comprises a body generally denoted 1 . In the exam- pie, three rotatable elements 2, 3, 4 are arranged in the body. These elements are conceived to have the character of rolls or shafts and are at their ends rotatably supported in gables 5 and ro- tatably driven by suitable motors. The rotatable elements 2, 3 and 4 could for instance be arranged to function mutually for disintegration purposes in the manner which is characterizing for the inventive concept according to the European patent No. 81 539. However, it is pointed out that this is not essential to the present invention. Thus, only the two upper rolls 2, 3 could, for example, function ac¬ cording to the principle of the just mentioned European patent, whereas the remaining roll 4 could be of some other configuration or all rolls could also be designed to function according to other dis- integration principles. Expressed in other words, this means that the rolls 2-4 do not necessarily have to have processing members in the form of threads or the like but instead they could have other proc¬ essing members such as hammers, discs etcetera. However, it is preferred that the two upper rolls form a disintegra¬ tion zone 6 between each other and this zone is preferably achieved by the rolls being rotated so that their peripherical portions move downwardly in the working zone 6. Thus the directions of rotation intended for the rolls are indicated by the arrows 7, 8. The remain- ing roll 4 is arranged in the area under the disintegration region 6 and more specifically so that it forms a common disintegration region 9 and 10 respectively with each of the two upper rolls. Real disintegration in the region denoted 9 occurs primarily only when the roll 4 is driven in the direction of the dashed arrow 12, whereas real disintegration in the region 10 occurs on driving of the roll 4 in the direction according to the arrow 11 drawn will full lines. In practice, the lower roll 4 will function disintegrating on material which already has been disintegrated in the region 6 between the two upper rolls 2, 3. It is then assumed that material to be disinte¬ grated is supplied to the interior of the body 1 from above. Disinte¬ grated material leaves the interior of the body at the bottom at the outlet indicated with 13. The apparatus comprises, in the example, two counter knife devices 15a and 15b respectively. These are provided on the body 1 and are arranged to cooperate with the roll 4 for disintegration of material. The counter knife devices 15a and 15b are, in the example, sub¬ stantially alike as to their construction and symmetrically arranged relative to a longitudinal centre plane P through the apparatus. The counter knife device denoted 15a is in operation when the roll 4 ro- tates in the direction of the dashed arrow 12, whereas the device 15b is in operation when the roll 4 rotates according to the arrow 1 1. It is pointed out that reversal between the directions 1 1 and 12 of rotation as far as the roll 4 is concerned may be included as a natural component in the mode of operation but it could also be such that reversal of the direction of rotation of roll 4 only occurs when something special happens, e.g. when the driving equipment of the roll 4 is overloaded. As will be described more in detail hereunder, a bearing member 25a and 25b respectively is arranged for each of the counter knife devices 15a and 15b. The more specific design of the apparatus according to the inven¬ tion will now be described with the assistance Figs. 2 and 3. The counter knife device 15b comprises a base part 17 and a cut¬ ting member 19 removable connected to the base part by means of connecting members 18. The body 1 forms, by means of plate like members, a casing 20 of the rolls 2-4. The counter knife device 15 is adjustably arranged in an opening 21 in this casing 20. The connecting members 18 connecting the cutting member 19 to the base part 17 are arranged to be accessible from the exterior of the body 1 without need for removing the counter knife device 15 from the opening 21 in the casing 20. This appears particularly clearly on study of Fig. 3 which is a view in the direction of the ar¬ row 22 in Fig. 2 and in which the connecting members 18 are illu- strated as well accessible from outside by means of suitable acces¬ sories in the form of keys or other tools. Means 23 are provided to adjust the position of the base part 17 along a support surface 24 on the body 1 in order to adjust the po¬ sition of the cutting member 19 relative to the roll 4. The support surface 24 is oriented such that movement of the base part 17 along the same will cause the cutting member 19 to move towards or away from the periphery of the roll 4. The cutting members 18 may for instance comprise screws with heads, said screws extending with their thread shafts from the heads inwardly towards the roll 4. The support surface 24 is substantially planar and forms, accord¬ ingly, a substantially straight adjustment path for the base part 17. A bearing member 25 is arranged to be adjustable into bearing abutment against the counter knife device 15, more specifically its cutting member 19. As is clearly apparent from Fig. 2, the forward end of the bearing member 25 is conceived to press on the cutting member 19. Means 26 are provided to adjust the position of the bearing member 25 along a second support surface 27 on the body 1 in order to adjust the position of the bearing member relative to the counter knife device 15. The support surfaces 24 and 27 define between each other the opening 21 in the body 1. More specifically, the support surfaces 24 and 27 comprise between each other an acute angle converging in a direction towards the roll 4. From that stated it appears that it is preferred that also the support surface 27 is substantially planar and, accordingly, forms a sub¬ stantially straight adjustment path for the bearing member 25. The bearing member 25 abuts against the counter knife device 15, more specifically its cutting member 19 in the preferred embodi- ment, on a surface 28 which is substantially parallel to the support surface 24 of the counter knife device as viewed in the position when the counter knife device is applied on this support surface. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the base part 17 has, in cross section, an angled shape, where one of the shanks is intended to abut against the support surface 24 whereas the other shank serves for securing the cutting member 19. The angle between the two shanks of the base part 17 is obtuse. The cutting member 19 has a such a design that it will overlap one shank of the base part 17 with a portion as viewed in the direction of arrow 22 and it is this portion which is penetrated by the connect¬ ing members 18. From this portion, the cutting member 19 extends outwardly of the end of the base part 17 closest to the roll 4 into a location closely adjacent to the periphery of the roll 4. The means 23 for adjusting the base part 17 along the support sur¬ face 24 comprise, in the example, a threaded screw 29, which with its threaded shaft is in thread engagement with an internal thread in a sleeve 30 rigidly secured to the base part 17, e.g. by sleeve 30 being connected to a thread shaft which is screwed into a thread hole in the base part 17. The screw 29 protrudes with free clearance through a sleeve 31 and this sleeve is rigidly connected to a cross piece 33, which by means of bolts 34 is tightened so as to be se¬ cured to a plate 35 fixed to the body 1 , the upper side of the plate 35 forming the support surface 24. The screw 29 comprises a head 32 and it is conceived to have two securing nuts 36 in tread en¬ gagement with its shaft. The head 32 of the screw and the nuts 36 are then intended to be located on either sides of the sleeve 31 . It is pointed out that the screws 34 are intended to be of such a type which brakes on exceeding of a certain force on them; this in order to avoid destruction of the counter knife device 15 if some unbreak¬ able object would enter into the disintegrating apparatus. Furthermore, means 37 are provided for pressing the base part 17 of the counter knife device against the support surface 24. These means comprise a screw 38 intended to protrude through a hole in the base part 17 and through a slot 40 formed in the plate 35. The screw 38 has its head 39 and a nut 41 located on either sides of the base part 17 and the plate 35 respectively so that they can be pressed together by tightening of the screw 38. The nut 41 is then intended to bridge the slot 40; as appears from Fig. 3 the nut 41 has a considerable length and it is intended to comprise several threaded holes for engagement with a plurality of screws 38. The means 26 for adjusting the position of the bearing member 25 comprise in the example, a screw 42, which is in thread engage- ment in a threaded hole in a bracket 43 formed on the body 1. This screw 42 is adapted to actuate the bearing member 25 with its end by pushing the bearing member in a direction towards the cutting member 19 of the counter knife device. The screw 42 has a head 44 also appearing from Fig. 3 for rotating the screw 42 and, further- more, there is a locking nut 45 on the screw. Besides there are means 46 to press the bearing member 25 against the support surface 27. These means 46 comprise screws 47 extending through a slot 48 in the bearing member and into threaded holes formed in the body 1. Heads 49 of the screws 47 will then abut against restriction portions of the slots 48. It appears from Fig. 3 that two or more base parts 17 are provided in the longitudinal direction after each other. The same applies for the bearing members 25. Furthermore, it appears that two cutting members 19 may be arranged on each of the base parts 17. Such a sectional division as far as the counter knife device 15 is concerned means that different sections may be adjusted differently and that grinding is simplified. In connection with a damage on a section, it is sufficient to replace this section and not the entire cutting mem¬ ber extent. When the apparatus according to the invention is to be used one proceeds as follows: When cutting members 19 are to be replaced, the bearing members 25 are first loosened by loosening the screws 47. Thereafter also the screws 42 are loosened, so that the pressing of the bearing members 25 on the cutting members 19 is inter- rupted. Thereafter the screws 38 holding the base parts 17 are loosened, whereupon the base parts 17 possibly are retracted somewhat with the assistance of the screws 29. The screws 18 se¬ curing the cutting members 19 are easily accessible by means of suitable tools. After release thereof, the cutting members 19 may be taken away and be replaced by new or reground cutting members. These are again secured by means of the screws 18 and then the position of the cutting members 19 relative to the roll 4 is adjusted by means of the screws 29. When the correct position has been reached, this is locked by means of the nuts 36 and the screws 38 are tightened. Next, the bearing members 25 are adjusted into position by means of the screws 42 so that the bearing members bearingly press on the cutting members 19. Finally, the bearing members 25 are secured by means of the screws 47. The apparatus is then ready for operation and the rolls 2-4 may be used for disin¬ tegration of material. During such disintegration, the counter knife device 15 and the bearing members 25 function so as to efficiently seal in the opening 21 in the body 1 so that material can not pierce through that way. Description of the modification according to Fig. 4 In Fig. 4 an embodiment is illustrated which only deviates from the preceding embodiment as far as the cutting member 19 itself is concerned. The cutting member has here the character of a turnable cutting member. The connecting members 18 for connecting this turnable cutting member 19 comprise two sets of screws 50 and 51 respectively and two clamp members 52 and 53 respectively. The design is such that the screws 50 secure one 52 of the clamp mem- bers to the base part 17 whereas the screws 51 are intended to se¬ cure the clamp members 53 to the clamp members 52. The cutting members 19 are intended to be received between the clamp mem¬ bers 52 and 53. The advantage with the turnable cutting member solution according to Fig. 4 is of course that the turnable cutting members 19 may be turned 180°, when they have lost their sharpness, after releasing of the screws 51 and the cutting members may then again be secured so that the double operational time is achieved as compared to cut¬ ting members with single cuts. Possible modifications The invention is of course not only restricted to the embodiments described as examples. Instead numerous modifications may be made by men skilled within this art without deviating from the con- cept of the invention.

Claims: Claims 1. An apparatus of the kind comprising a body (1 ), an element (4) rotatably arranged in the body and a counter knife device (15), which is arranged on the body and adapted to cooperate with the rotatable element (4) for disintegration of material, the counter knife device comprising a base part (17) and a cutting member (19) re¬ movably connected to the base part by means of connecting mem- bers (18), said body forming a casing (20) of the rotatable element (4), whereas the counter knife device is adjustably arranged in an opening (21) in the casing, characterized in that the connecting members (18), which connect the cutting member (19) to the base part (17), are arranged accessible from the exterior of the body without need for removing the counter knife device (15) from the opening (21 ) in the casing (20). 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized by means (23) to adjust the position of the base part (17) along a support surface (24) on the body (1) in order to adjust the position of the cutting member (19) relative to the rotatable element (4). 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting members (18) comprise screws with heads, said screws extending with their shafts from the heads inwardly towards the rotatable element (4). 4. An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the support surface (24) is substantially planar and, accordingly, forms a substantially straight adjustment path for the base part (17). 5. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized in that a bearing member (25) is arranged to be adjustable into bear¬ ing abutment against the counter knife device (15). 6. An apparatus of the kind comprising a body (1 ), an element (4) rotatably arranged in the body and a counter knife device (15), which is provided on the body and adapted to cooperate with the rotatable element (4) for disintegration of material, characterized in that a bearing member (25) is arranged to be adjustable into bearing abutment against the counter knife device (15). 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by means (23) to adjust the position of the counter knife device (15) along a first support surface (24) on the body to adjust the position of the device relative to the rotatable element (4), and means (26) to adjust the position of the bearing member (25) along a second support surface (27) on the body in order to adjust the position of the bearing mem¬ ber relative to the counter knife device (15). 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the first and second support surfaces (24, 27) define the opening (21 ) in the body between each other. 9. An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the first and second support surfaces (24, 27) enclose an acute angle between each other, said acute angle converging in a direction towards the rotatable element (4). 10. An apparatus according to any of claims 7-9, characterized in that the bearing member (25) bears on the counter knife device (15) on a surface (28) which is substantially parallel to the first support surface (24).

Inventors: BILLER SVEN-OLOV, BILLER, SVEN-OLOV
Applicants: BILLER SVEN OLOV, IGGESUND SHREDDERS AB, BILLER, SVEN-OLOV
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B02C18
IPC codes: B02C18, B02C19